Phase-7 of UP Polls 2022: Battle strains drawn between Modi’s Kashi, Akhilesh’s Azamgarh

Express News Service

VARANASI: As the ballot juggernaut enters the seventh gate of UP proverbial ‘Chakrvyuh’ comprising 9 districts of Purvanchal to witness the ultimate assault on Monday, March 7, the stage is ready with the Modi-Yogi mixture prepared to save lots of the fort for the BJP on one facet and Akhilesh Yadav, main the Samajwadi Party from the entrance, on the opposite. Also, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s Congress are out to show they’re no pushovers.

In the final leg, the battle is more likely to get fiercest with the pleasure of Varanasi, the Modi bastion and Azamgarh, the stronghold of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav, at stake.

Moreover, the struggle is believed to be straight between the BJP and SP on most seats barring a number of the place the BSP is posing a problem to the primary gamers.

Around 613 candidates are within the fray unfold throughout 9 districts comprising Varanasi, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Mau, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra, within the last section of the 7-phased UP polls.

In the final section, if ruling BJP has the robust process of sustaining its dominance in addition to making forays into up to now unexplored territories, the primary opposition, SP chief  Akhilesh Yadav faces the problem of not solely defending his stronghold in Azamgarh but additionally increasing its affect throughout the area. In a approach, each BJP and SP will rely on their respective allies’ efficiency to sail by way of on this area.

Of the 54 constituencies that go to polls on Monday, 11 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and two for Scheduled Tribes which fall in Sonbhadra.

In the 2017 meeting elections, 29 of those 54 seats have been received by the BJP and 7 by its allies– Apna Dal (S) and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). The SP was victorious on 11 seats and 6 had gone to BSP. NISHAD had received one seat of Gyanpur in Bhadohi. Congress had did not open an account on this section in 2017.

However, this time the SBSP is contesting as SP ally with its affect over Rajbhar voters throughout a dozen and a half seats in Ghazipur, Mau, Varanasi, Chanduali and pockets in Mirzapur.

Of the 11 reserved seats, BJP had received seven, SP three, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had received one seat. However, each the ST seats had gone to the BJP and its ally Apna al (S) in 2017.

In the final section of the battle, BJP is relying on the charisma of PM Narendra Modi as the only influencer within the area. Taking the command of the BJP marketing campaign in his palms, PM Modi camped in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, for 29 hours to make the equations beneficial for the BJP as its sitting MLAs had been going through sturdy anti-incumbency not solely in Varanasi however in adjoining districts as nicely.

It is believed that Modi’s presence in Varanasi on ballot eve might need turned the state of affairs in BJP’s favour owing to PM’s recognition and his mass join.

Besides, the BJP has additionally been pinning its hopes on the beneficiaries of the welfare schemes and the ladies voters amongst whom the legislation and order situation is seen to have a transparent resonance.

2017 excellent efficiency of the BJP within the area was nicely supported by allies — Apna Dal (S) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP). They had performed a giant function in guaranteeing BJP’s growth on this belt by way of the help of Kurmi and the Rajbhars.

The Nishad celebration, which had contested independently in 2017 had received one seat. This outfit representing the boatmen group current in appreciable chunks throughout the jap UP is now with the BJP and has three candidates within the seventh section.

On the opposite, SBSP, in alliance with the SP, is ready to learn the primary opposition celebration in its last assault. SBSP, led by OP Rajbhar, is contesting on 17 seats throughout the state of which eight are at stake within the last section. The SP management is relying upon the Rajbhar vote to mix with the sturdy presence of Yadav-OBC on this area to get an edge over the BJP.

SP may poach upon BJP’s Kurmi vote financial institution which had shifted to it in 2017 after its alliance with Apna Dal (S) led by Anupriya Patel, youthful daughter of a tall Kurmi chief of the area Sonelal Patel. This time, Akhilesh Yadav has made the opposite faction — Apna Dal (Ok) — led by Anupriya’s mom Krishna Patel, a part of his rainbow alliance.

While Apna Dal (S) is contesting 4 seats, the opposite faction is contesting 5 seats in alliance with the SP within the last section.

Moreover, with renovated and revamped Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya, BJP may even hope to capitalise on the Hindutva issue past the caste fault strains within the final section. PM Modi, throughout his keep in Varanasi on March 4 and 5, gave a push to the narrative of Hindutva by way of his gestures with out even talking a single phrase over it in his discourse.

In Jaunpur, Ghazipur and Chanduli, which additionally fall within the Varanasi division, the BJP had received partial success regardless of the sweeping saffron wave in 2017. It had received 4 of the 9 Jaunpur seats, three of the seven Ghazipur seats and 4 of the 5 Chanduli seats. SP had received three seats in Jaunpur, two in Ghazipur and one in Chandauli.

In Azamgarh, which has the dominant Muslim-Yadav issue, BJP might bag simply certainly one of 10 meeting segments in 2017 election. Azamgarh has been one of many strongest fortress of the SP which had received 5 of the ten constituencies in 2017. Four had gone to the BSP. In 2012, the BJP was nowhere within the scene. The SP had then received 9 and BSP one in Azamgarh.

In neighbouring Mau, the bastion of mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari who’s the sitting MLA and at the moment in jail, eyes will set on his son Abbas Ansari who’s contesting on SBSP ticket from Mau Sadar.

The SP hopes that together with Rajbhar issue and Ansaris’ clout, Mau might be regained. In 2017, the BJP had received three of the 4 seats within the district.

Phase -7

Total Seats – 54; Total districts- 09; Total candidates- 613; Total electorate- 2.05 crore; Total Districts-10: Varanasi, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Mau, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra

2017 Results:

Varanasi: 09: BJP: 07; Apna Dal (S): 01; SBSP: 01
Chandauli: 04: BJP: 03; SP: 01
Jaunpur: 09: BJP: 04; Apna Dal (S): 01; SP: 03: BSP: 01
Azamgarh: 10: BJP: 01; SP: 05; BSP: 04
Ghazipur: 07: BJP: 03; SBSP: 02; SP: 02
Mau: 04: BJP: 03; BSP: 01
Mirzapur: 05: BJP: 04; AD(S): 01
Bhadohi: 03: BJP: 02; NISAHD: 01
Sonbhadra: 04: BJP: 03; Apna Dal(S): 01